Terrifier 3’s sequel is in a position to take one of the biggest faces of the slasher horror genre in a surprising new direction. The series has been able to successfully grow in scope with each installment, starting with the micro-budget firstTerrifierfilm and then the much largerTerrifier 2, beforeTerrifier 3smashed the box officeon the series' biggest budget. One great recurring theme of the franchise, that has helped it stand out against the competition, is that each of the movies is centered around a specific holiday.
Terrifier 1 & 2were both set on Halloween, a staple for horror films, butTerrifier 3was set at Christmas, and while a Halloween setting is a great boon for many horror movies, setting the third film around Christmas made it feel distinct and even more enjoyable. With each of the three films being related to a holiday, the obvious question forTerrifier 4is what holiday it will be focused on, but the answer, from the director himself, suggests that the final film may buck this trend entirely.
Director Damien Leone Suggested That Terrifier 4 Won’t Follow The Holiday Theme
The Film Might Break The Established Trends Of The Franchise
The horror convention Monster-Mania Con was held in Philadelphia in November 2024, and Screen Rant was able to attend theTerrifier 3panel. There, director Damien Leone was asked a question aboutTerrifier 4’s potential new holiday. Leone responded with “I don’t know, I never really intended for that to become a gimmick.” After his answer, fans in the crowd began shouting out holidays that the next film could be based around, with Art the Clown’s actor David Howard Thornton yelling for Flag Day.
You Definitely Missed Terrifier 3’s Deep Cut Easter Egg That References A Classic Holiday Horror Franchise
Terrifier 3 contains easter eggs nods to other horror classics, but it also features a deep cut only fans of a certain holiday horror saga will get.
Leone’s answer is certainly unexpected, as the holiday backdrop has been a staple of the series thus far, one that it seemed would continue with the rest of the series. However, while Leone’s answer does imply thatTerrifier 4’s storywon’t be driven by a specific holiday, it’s also possible that the gimmick he mentioned was referring to the holiday being something as huge and bombastic as Christmas, and the holiday that surroundsTerrifier 4simply won’t be as prominent as it has been in the series previously.
Why Ending The Holiday Trend Could Make Sense For Terrifier 4
Change Is Often A Good Thing For Franchises
Terrifier 4has been set up as the finaleto theTerrifiersaga, and if that truly is the case, then getting rid of the holiday theme might work well for this film in particular. Stripping back the layers and allowing the finale to stand on its own two feet without the need for the same gimmicks as the first films is sometimes necessary for a franchise.Terrifier 3blew the series up into the stratosphere, so bringing the final film back down to the essentials would be a great way of bringing about the closure that a finale needs.
Terrifier 3
Cast
Terrifier 3 follows Sienna and her brother as they attempt to move past the traumatic events of Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre. As they embrace the Christmas season, Art reemerges, intent on turning their holiday into a nightmare, continuing his reign of terror.
